Beyond The Stars (Naruto Fanfiction)

Chapter 98~ Journal

Day 8,

I've decided to keep a journal, writing down what I am currently doing, and to keep a track record for Tsunade. I've been doing a lot of reading recently, along with observing. I have yet to meet any of the other members as of yet, my sole purpose is to observe Kisame and Itachi. Which is what I have done. I am aware of what their current task is after failing to retrieve the nine-tailed jinchuriki. They are currently tasked with keeping tabs on all of the other jinchuriki that they have already identified. 

Currently, we are on the five tails recon, out in Iwagakure. Han is a steam user, well known for his acts in the third shinobi war. Like I've said, I've had a lot of time to read. I will do what I can to keep them away and distracted, but I feel as if he should be contacted and informed of what is happening. But I feel that also depends on my ability to get in contact with Tsunade once more. 

"Yo brat get over here, get your head out of that book!" I heard the raised, yet the hushed voice of Kisame beckoning me to the tree line. Letting out a sigh I shut the book tight, securing it underneath my chest on the straps with sebon. 

"What exactly am I looking at?" I rolled my eyes as I strained my eyes over the jagged hillsides above us. "How many crows are up there?" 

"Why-" Before I could finish Kisame was pointing up the hill to a small abundance of trees. Off the bat near us, I could see four sitting on a branch. "Because I say there is four, and Itachi says that there is five. How many do you see?" 

I let out another long sigh before I looked over once more. Paying more attention, I smirked at the revelation. One of them perched themselves over an egg, only able to see it if you look at the posture of the others compared to the one that seems to have shorter legs. "There is five." 

"What where!?" He leaned slightly further out, only to be pulled back by Itachi. He turned with a scowl on his face. "Don't act so childish Kisame, our target is skilled and doesn't lack experience when it comes to chakra sensing. Don't get us caught." 

"Yeah, yeah." 

Day 14,

Today was the day I was given my Akatsuki cloak and my relief from these two I've been stuck with. I meet with the leader in a week in The Hidden Rain Village. I won't be given the exact spot until that day. But I am slowly but surely gaining the trust of the organization. I apologize Tsunade for not being able to relay information sooner. I hope that this journal will be of use to you once it's in your hands. I've also put together some more of their overarching goal. They are gathering all of the jinchuriki, from what I gathered they have a way to extract the tailed beast from their host. 

I don't know the full details but I overheard Kisame saying how that, once they have a jinchuriki all they gotta do, is remove the bastard from the body. This could very well be misinformation, but why else would they want the tailed beasts other than power. They could be extracting the beasts to make the members of the Akatsuki jinchuriki, but I feel as if that is not the case. Kisame has expressed extreme disinterest whenever jinchuriki are mentioned. 

Day 22,

As I said yesterday I met Pain. Orange hair with metal rods, that seemed infused with chakra. Yesterday's entry was short and inefficient, but I didn't have much time to write everything down, and not much happened today so, I wrote more things down today. I already wrote down the location of the place we met yesterday, however it wasn't one of importance it seems. I was shown to one on the southern border of the Hidden Rain, hid between a large tree and a stone configuration. I was given my Akatsuki robes and a room of sorts at this new compound. According to Deidara, we moth monthly or bi-monthly depending on the current missions and others radars.  

I am fairly confident that none of them have any forth front suspicion about me. I've also acquainted myself with most of the members as listed in my last entry as well. I will be given my first solo mission tomorrow by Konan. During that time frame, I will hopefully be able to get a message out with Tsunade. 

I really hate to admit this but I miss everyone. (barely legible and has been struck through)

Day 30, 

I saw my rogue self in the bingo book today, which means the village knows as well. I used to think that the way people think about me was futile, however, all of the leaf knowing seems to leave an unsettling feeling in my stomach. Writing in this journal is far easier conveying my thoughts than actually saying them. I have been on my solo mission for about a week, and I had sent a message to Tsunade this morning regarding a meeting place for tomorrow. I am ever so curious as to who she'll send regarding a middle person. Guess I will find out tomorrow. 

The individual mission seems to be particularly easy, so I am taking as much time as possible. I don't want to seem incompetent but I will use all the allotted time I was given. Meaning I have another week before I report back to Konan. In the meantime, I have been reading more on eye-related illnesses, I had to endure another full moon with minimal cover for my eyes. If there is a way to dim the pain, then I should be more able to combat the weakness I get from the full moon. But everything I have researched thus far hasn't been very useful.

Shutting the book shut and securing it under my straps, then jumping off the tree to begin to make my way to the meeting area. I was a few hundred miles out from the village, the stars were high in the sky as the next day began to approach. Sighing I took perch in a tree, waiting for the other to rendezvous. 

I closed my eyes, letting minimal rest replenish any chakra I had used throughout the day. Which wasn't very much considering my entire mission was based on observation. My mind wandered over to Karliah, trying to figure out how I would make things up to her if I came back unscathed. 

Snapping upwards I took three sebon between my fingers, throwing them with pinpoint accuracy to where I felt the new chakra. 

"Ah what a drag." The familiar voice rang out as he avoided the needles as best he could, one going straight through the fabric of his pants. "Shikamaru?" 

"That is me," He sighed pulling the needle out of his leg. "Did you really have to throw needles instead of kunai? They take more effort to dodge."

"I heard something and reacted accordingly." I shrugged, jumping down from the tree and landing on the ground. "Not my fault you didn't conceal your chakra."

"It wouldn't have made a difference, you still would have found a way to detect me. So it would be a waste." Shaking my head and letting a small smile stretch onto my face. "I guess you're right." 

"So my guess is you infiltrated the Akatsuki, am I wrong?" This caught me off guard slightly. I guess Tsunade hadn't fully informed him of the details of the mission. "No, you're correct that is what I was tasked to do." 

"And you're okay with that?" His voice seemed weary as he leaned against a tree, putting pressure on the wound he received. "It's a mission, I don't exactly have a choice. Now I'll tell you everything I know as of now."